(referring to Rugby vs. football gear) Point taken. But Rugby isn’t soccer. U.S. football’s roots are in rugby. Even those of us who don’t care to play or watch rugby respect the game, and its players.
As the bumper sticker says: “Give Blood. Play Rugby.”
Rugby evolved out of soccer, or football as the rest of the world calls it. In a football match, William Webb Ellis caught a football that was kicked at him (Allowed) at Rugby University in 1823. What he did then was not allowed: He ran with the ball. And someone tackled him and they made this into a new game, called Rugby’s game or Rugby football. American football evolved out of rugby. If you go to South Bend, Indiana and visit the college football hall of fame, and go through the time tunnel, you will recognize rugby. Only 2 times has 15 a side been played in the Olympics, and the USA won them both. In the next summer games in Brazil there will be 7 a side rugby, a really fast and high scoring game.
It’s as closest I could get to soccer. They don’t have any protection either though it’s not as violent as rugby. OTOH I’ve watched Aussie rules footie and it can get pretty nasty. One guy had his ear ripped off and they kept on playing. No foul.